


Drabbles for Drunks

by ConcentratedMatter, hgb, kimabutch (CWoodP)



Series: Drabbles [2]
Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Drabble Collection, Drunkenness, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Panic Attacks, spoilers for RQG 153
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:01:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23971966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConcentratedMatter/pseuds/ConcentratedMatter, https://archiveofourown.org/users/hgb/pseuds/hgb, https://archiveofourown.org/users/CWoodP/pseuds/kimabutch
Summary: 100 words for each member of the quarantine squad. And their boss.
Relationships: Commander Barnes & Azu, Commander Barnes & Zolf Smith, Hamid Saleh Haroun al-Tahan & Azu, Hamid Saleh Haroun al-Tahan & Celiquillithon "Cel" Sidebottom, Hamid Saleh Haroun al-Tahan & Zolf Smith, Howard Carter & Hamid Saleh Haroun al-Tahan
Series: Drabbles [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1776058
Comments: 11
Kudos: 60





	1. Cel

As their companions fall into comfortable drunkenness, Cel stares at the bottle of mead. They can imagine exactly how it would smell — fresh and sweet, like the brisk autumn breeze— and its taste like the smiles of people who looked like them. Family.

Their fingers play around the edge of the cork as tears well up in their eyes, before they carefully put the bottle in their bag. A treasured possession.

Many things are inside that bag: potions, tools, odds and ends collected throughout the years. But nothing like this. Something tangible — 

Something more than just fading memories of home.


	2. Zolf

He never told anyone, not even his parents. His empty explanations walled off the truth like a dam holding back the tide. 

The mine collapsed. He got out. Feryn didn’t. He stood beside Feryn’s grave listening to hollow words. “Tragic accident.” _No, it wasn’t._ “Nobody’s fault.” _Yes, it was._

He keeps talking, the words a waterfall finally spilling forth in unending guilt.

Zolf feels himself slipping, sinking under its weight like he had back in Paris. Through it all, he clings to Hamid, the halfling’s arms steadfast against the rising tide.

Zolf won’t drown in this flood. Not this time. 


	3. Barnes

Barnes notices Azu watching him from the corner of his eye.

“Is that… is that Anders Fitzgerald’s belt from Seven Nights with Seven Brothers?”

Barnes coughs and shifts awkwardly, feeling heat in his cheeks. Before he can answer, Zolf leans forward from his corner of the basement, a flash of excitement apparently sobering him slightly. 

“I’ve been looking for that for ages! How’d you find it?”

Barnes sizes them both up. Maybe they’re drunk enough that they’ll not remember this tomorrow morning. He swallows nervously.

“I, uh. I used to live in Dover… did some modelling for some book covers…”


	4. Hamid

“Hey little buddy,” Cel whispers. “What was your favourite song Aziza sang?”

The question takes Hamid off guard. “I— I don’t know, exactly. I don’t know if I had one.” 

He remembers how she’d hum soft Egyptian lullabies to him when he got scared of the dark, or that time she made her voice all low to sing the Toreador’s song from that new opera Carmen, making faces until he was on the floor laughing. 

It was never the song. It was Aziza's eyes shining with laughter, her smile — her arms, wrapped around him as he cried. 

“It was her.”


	5. Carter

It’s fine if they don’t like him, Carter thinks. He’s good at not being liked. Matters more that they’re smiling. Talking.

“Hey Carter” Hamid says. “Thnsks f’that. ‘S’not usual Zolf talks.” 

“It’s mmm… had to drink to tolerate being cooped up with you lot. Giving away my booze ‘s just collateral.”

He feels someone grab his hand. Looking down, he sees Hamid’s sincere face swimming into view. “No, I mean it. I- we, we all appreciate it. Coming down there…. and, and, this. You’re good.” 

It’s fine if people don’t like him. But maybe… maybe it’s okay if they do. 


	6. Azu

Azu hopes they didn’t notice her evasiveness. She’d have kept talking but she feared they might notice. The shake to her hands, how she curls in on herself, the unsteadiness of her breathing —

She lets the conversation carry on, clutching the moonshine. A lifeline that steadies her and occupies her hands, the bottle at her lips providing an excuse for her silence. 

Not enough. She closes her eyes, the conversation becoming a dull noise as she struggles for air. Suddenly, Hamid’s there, nestling into her like a miracle. 

With Hamid in her arms, she breathes. She has to, for him.


	7. Wilde

A searing flash of light bursts from the floor of Wilde’s office. He blinks, once, twice, and the paper in his hand crumples to dust. He sighs. He had spent two hours on that report. 

Of course, it _could_ be that one of them is infected and they’re fighting each other.

Or it could be Carter pushing Barnes’ buttons (again) and Zolf settling their dispute with a little more show than necessary (again).

He hears Hamid’s high-pitched yell, Zolf’s hurried apologies, Cel’s delighted laugh, Carter’s screams, and a noticeable silence from Barnes and Azu.

Well, they’re getting along. That’s good.

**Author's Note:**

> This started out as an experiment to see if the three of us are drift compatible. Our goal was to write one drabble, but after that one was completed within about 10 minutes, we decided we needed to do all of them.


End file.
